Pieter van Ruijven

Pieter Claesz. van Ruijven (Delft, 1624 - Delft, August 7, 1674) is known as Johannes Vermeers patron. In 1657, he lent Vermeer two-hundred guilders. It is not known if he had any trade or profession. [His grandfather owned a brewery and had Remonstrant sympaties.] Like his father, he worked for the city institution, the "Camer van Charitate" (1668-1672).

In 1653, he married Maria de Knuijt. The couple had one daughter named Magdalena, born in 1655. Magdalena van Ruijven married Jacob Abrahamsz in 1680. Dissius, a bookbinder. His father owned a printing press on the Market square, close to Maria Thins.

Magdalena van Ruijven died in 1682, one year after her mother. Her spouse inherited most of her wealth, including 20 paintings by Vermeer. In 1683, the estate was divided by Dissius and his father.J.M. Montias (1989) Vermeer and his milieu, A web of social history, p. 254, 360.] In 1694 Abraham Dissius was buried, his son Jacob died the year after.

On May 16, 1696, twenty-one paintings by Vermeer were sold in an auction in Amsterdam. [Catalogus of naamlyst van schilderyen, met derzelver prysen, zedert ... 1752. tot ... 1768. ... openbaar verkogt. : Dienende tot een vervolg ... op de ... cataloguen door Gerard Hoet .../ Uitgegeeven door Pieter Terwesten, 1770, p. 34-36; J.M. Montias (1989) Vermeer and his milieu. p. 363-364.] These paintings brought a total of 1,503 guilders, about seventy guilders each. It is presumed the paintings had belonged to the Van Ruijvens, who had built up a large collection of paintings by Vermeer, three by Emanuel de Witte, four by Simon de Vlieger and one by Jan Porcellis.

References

External links

* http://www.bergerfoundation.ch/
* http://www.essentialvermeer.com/clients_patrons/dissius_auction.html

ee also

* John Michael Montias